Art of folding sheets



June 24, 1930.

w. F; MAYER 1,766,793

ART OF FOLDING SHEETS i /8 E 3 i June 24, 1930. w, MAYER 1,766,793 D ART OF FOLDING SHEETS Filed Feb. 11. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4; I E?! J 44 g a I gmnmtoz :9 v mridemarfl'lfayer June 24, 1930. w R MAY-ER 1,766,793

ART OF FOLDING SHEETS Filed Feb. 11, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 amuaqt.

Patented June 24, 1930 Utah-93 da light? Fl 17 WALDEMAR F. MAYER, OF RUTI'IERFGRD, NEW JERSE ASSIG-NOR TO THE ALBA CORPORATION, OF ST. ALBA'NS, VERMONT, A. COEPGEATION OE VERMONT new or returns snnnrs Application filed February 11, 1929.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in folding and stacking devices, and is particularly adapted for the folding and stacking of small sheets, such as towels and handkerchiefs.

Accordin to the present invention, a folding device is provided which removes a sheet from'a pile, and produces folds therein while delivering it to a stack.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of means for accomplishing a predetermination of folds in a sheet while operating to remove the sheet from a pile.

Another feature of the present invention the provision of means for accomplishing a cross fold in the sheet after it has been operated on for folding lengthwise by the aforesaid device.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a stack receiving means to take the folded sheets and arran 'e them in regular succession as trey are folded.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of means for predetermining certain folds in a sheet, so that thereafter a sin le means may operate upon the sheet to produce definite and predetermined folds in the sheet in two directions at one and the same time.

lVith these and other objects in view, as will appear in the course of the following specification and claims, an illustrative form of execution of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a machine according to the present invention, with certain parts in partial section for greater clearness.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine, substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar section on an enlarged scale on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a diametral section on an enlarged scale through one of the operating disks.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on line 5--5 of F 4 of the same element.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing a modified form of employment of the invention.

Serial No. 339,115.

Fig. 7 is diagrammatic view illustrating the method of determining the lengthwise folds.

Theinvention will be described with re spect of the folding oftowels, but it will be understood that the mechanism is just as adaptable to the foldin of other articles of sheet material.

A pile of towels or other blank sheets is provided, in which the uppermost towel is maintained at a predetermined height. Disks are brought down upon opposite ends and near one edge of the topmost towel, and this towel is caused to adhere to the periphery of those disks. The disks are then caused to roll along the top of the pile of towels, thus winding the uppermost towel about the disks to form a roll or cylinder, which may be in one or more layers or convolutio'ns according to the fold to be accomplished. 'lhis roll or cylinder is then crushed fiat, whereby the lengthwise folds are produced in the article- In the preferred form of execution, this crushing is accompanied by a further folding in a crosswise direction, for example at the center of the length, so that tlie article will be folded in two directions substantial right angles to one another. Finally, the folded towel is received on a stacking tray on which it is accurately piled above the last towel folded, for example.

()n the accompanying drawings, the machine represented having the end standards 30 which are connected by suitable bracing means and bearings for the several parts. The main shaft 6 is located near the base of the standards, and is driven at a uniform speed by any suitable means such as the pulley 6. The shaft 6 has a pair of ofiset cranks 7 adjacent the respective side standards 30 which each operate upon a res ective roller lever 8 having an inwardly extending shaft 8 at the upper end to carry a roller disk 19, one such disk being provided at each side of the mechanism.

The roller levers 8 are supported on moving pivots 9 of the rock lever arms 9 fixed to the transverse rock shaft 10 which likewise is journaled in the side standards 30. A further rock arm 11 is fixed to the rock shaft 10 and is connected by a link 12 and the clamp 12 on the rock arm 13 mounted on a pivot 13 on one side standard 80 and extending transversely with respect to the movement of the folding levers, and having an upturned end 13 at the center of the machine upon which the folding blade 1 f may be secured by the clamping sleeve 14:. The positions of the rock lever 11 and the clamp 12 may be adjusted with respect to the shaft and rock arm 13 whereby to vary the movement of the folder blade 14, wnile this folder blade itself may be adjusted up and down on the extension 13.

Likewise mounted on the shaft 6 is a belt pulley 16 over which travels a belt 31 passing over the guide pulleys 17 and the drive pulley 32 mounted on the end of the shaft of one of the folding rolls 18 which have intermeshing gears 18, and operating to revolve these rolls so that their adjacent peripheral faces move downward. The folding rolls 18 are likewise journaled in cross brackets 33 of the machine frame.

A cross rod 34: supports the stop dogs l which define the position of the topmost sheet on the pile 1 which is carried by a pla form or tray 2. This platform 2 is constantly urged upward suitable means such as the springs 2:} which react against the cross member 3 of the frame: suitable guiding means such as the rails 3 are provided to guide the platform and maintain it constantly in parallelism, so that the position of the topmost sheet is at all times fixed.

Suitable means are provided on the periphcries of the roller disks 19 to en age the topmost towel adjacent its edges. Such means are illustrated on the accompanying drawings as being of pneumatic type. The roller disks 19 are provided with suction cups at their peripheries, each being permitted to communicate by a respective radial channel with the central passage 8 of the respective hollow stub shaft 8. This stub shaft is formed with ports 8 therein permitting evacuation. through the hollow shaft 8 and the port 8, of the channel 50 leading to the downward cup in whatever position the roller disks 19 may occupy. It will be noted from Figs. 1 and l that the disks are formed with two rows of cups, the cups being relatively staggered between the rows, so that they substantially overlap and hence one cup is always ready to engage and hold the topmost sheet as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. In the drawings, the hollow shaft 8 is secured fixedly in the upper end of the respective folding lever 8, and communicates by the respective branch pipe 36 with a common pipe 37 .iounted on the base of the machine: the lower end of the branch pipe 36 being flexible to permit the movement of the rock arms 8. The common pipe 37 leans to the valve casing 38 surrounding the shaft 6 with packed joints 6 to prevent release of the reduced pressure. A valve body 39 is keyed to the shaft 6 and is provided with a peripheral channel 51 which is so located with respect to the position of the folding levers 8 that evacuation through the common pipe 37 and branch pipes 36 occurs during the traveling movement of the roller disks 19 at the upper end of these rock levers toward the right in Fig. 2, while such reduced pressure is cut off when the roller disks have attained the right hand position in Fig. 2, and during the return of the disks to the left hand position shown in full lines in thisfigure. The shaft 6 is pro vided with grooves 63" and the connecting channel 6 so that the suction conduit l0 having the control valve l0 therein may communicate at proper timed intervals with the peripheral channel 51 of the valve body 39 (see Figs. 1 and Mounted on the rails 41 extending transversely between the end standards 30 are the supporting ears 42 of a tray which'is intended to receive thefolded sheet. A rack ie is secured at the bottom of this tray and cooperates with a sector fixed to a shaft l6 having a rock arm l7 operated by a link l8 pivoted to the arm 11 fixed to rock shaft 10.

The operation of the device is as follows:

A pile of towels 1 is placed upon the platform 2, compressing the springs 3 until the stop dog f can be engaged with the topmost sheet, so that thereafter this dog awill determine the level of the topmost sheet of the pile, the pile rising successively as sheets are removed therefrom.

The main shaft 6 is then set in rotation, whereby the roller levers 8 will be caused to swing back and forth in the circuitous path shown by a dotand-dash line in Fig. 2, the pivot point of these roller levers 8 being raised and lowered by the rock arms 9 as necessitated to permit the roller disks 19 to roll over the edges of the top towel of the pile, so that the axis of these rollers moves substantially in a straight line from the extreme left hand position shown in Fig. 2 to the extreme right hand position above the folding rollers 18. It will be noted that dur ing this movement, the cranks T are pulling downward upon the lower ends of the levers 8, thus holding the roller disks 19 firmly engaged with the top towel of the pile.

At the moment that the right hand movement of the roller disks 19 is commenced, the valve body 39 establishes communication between the suction pump and the branch conduits 36, whereby the roller disks 19 suck up and hold the left hand margin of the topmost sheet. As the roller disks 19 revolve by their contact with the towel in their right ward travel in Fig. 2, this margin of the sheet is held to the periphery of the two spaced roller disks, so that the sheet is rolled into tubular formation, possibly with a number meshes of layers, depending on the ratio of the circumference of the roller disks 19 to the length of the sheets. After passing the stop dog 1, the upwart drag by the friction of the roller disks 19 upon the rolled sheet is suilicientto withdraw the right hand edge of the sheet from beneath the dog l, so the rolled sheet is freed from the pile and the next sheet may now rise. The movement of the roller disks 19 and their supporting levers 8 continues until the rolled sheet is brought to the position 21 shown in dash lines in Fig. 2. This traveling of the roller disks 19 has occurred during approximately a one-half revolution of the shaft 6, during which the crank arms 7 have moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to substantially a diametrically opposite position. At this moment the peripheral channel 51 of the valve body 39 passes from opposite the common pipe 37, and active evacuation of the radiant channels 50 ceases, so that leakages will shortly permit the towel to become substantially free from the former suctional holding engagement by the roller disks 19.

During this movement of the roller levers 8, the pivot connection to the rock arms 9 has moved downward, resulting in an upward movement of the end of the lever arm 11 and an upward movement of the arm 13 with its folding blade 141-, and causing a movement of the tray 13 relatively toward the left in Fig. 1.

Just prior to the time the roller disks 19 have reached their right hand end of travel, the cranks 7 begin to move relatively upward, exerting an upward push upon the ends of the rock arms 9 and tending to raise the rolled towel 21. The upward movement of the arms 9, however, results in a downward movement of the rock lever 11 and the arm 13, thus bringing the folding blade 14 into full engagement at the mid length of the rolled towel, crushing the towel down and between the folding rolls 18, bringing it into the posi ticn 21 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The relative upward movement of the roller disks 19 and the inward and downward movement of the ends of the rolled towel 21, withdraws these ends from the roller disks, and the latter are now free to move upward freely on their return path back to the left hand position in Fig. 2.

The downward movement of the folding blade 14 is also accompanied by a corresponding movement of the link 18 and the rock arm -17, and thus of the toothed sector 15, so that the tray -13 is moved back toward the right in Fig. 1, moving substantially in proportion as the folded towel oelivcred at the bottom from the folding rolls 18. Since the movement of the tray is synchronized with that of the folding blade 14- and the roller arms 8, it is apparent that the folded towels will be deposited neatly in a stack on the tray 13, and may be removed therefrom from time to time as desired.

By proper calculation of the circumference of the particular roller disks 19 which are employed with respect to the size of the towel or other sheet to be folded, it is possible to obtain any desired folding. Thus, as shown in Fig. 7,.the circumference of the roller disks 19 has been made substantially two-thirds of the width of the towel and the parts have been so proportioned from the front edge of the pile 1 to the folding position 21 to be occupied by the rolled towel, that the towel is rolled so that there is a single layer under the rollers for one-half of the circumference and two layers over the other half of the circumference, the division between the two halves of the circumference lying in a horizontal plane, so that now when the folding blade 1-1 is brought down, the rolled tube 21 is crushed down to form a three-fold (Fig. 7 It is obvious that by properly fixing the diameter of the rollers 18, other folds may be obtained, and given folds may be produced for any desired width or length of sheet.

In the modified form of the device shown in'Fig. 6, the pile of sheets 1 has two shafts 60, 61 mounted thereabout with sprockets 60 61* to receive the traveling chains 62 which move in the direction ofthe arrow. To the links of these chains are fastened'the gripping rollers 63 and the stop rollers'64. The sprocket 61 has the axially extending arms 65 thereon to receive the spring blades 66 which are located opposite the mid length of the folded towel, which cooperate with the roller 6'2 on the end of the adjustable stop arm .68 carried by the cross brace 69 of the machine. The folding rollers 18 are provided as before.

The operation of this modified form of the invention is as follows: Suitable means as before are provided on the gripping rolls 68 to engage'the topmost'sheet in the pile 1. As each roll in its travel with the chains 62 comes to the margin of the top sheet in the pile, it engages this margin adjacent the relatively lateral edges of the sheet and causes the sheet to wind up over the gripping rolls 63, just as this sheet was wound over the roller disks 19 in the first form of ex- 6C11t-101..- It will be understood that chains 62 are provided opposite each lateral edge of of the towel so that the gripping rollers 63 may be carried at these edges just as in the first form. Again, the relative circumference of the gripping rollers with respect to the width of the sheet as seen in Fig. 6, will determine the fold accomplished; lVhen'the towel has been completely folded, it is de livercd over the folding rolls 18 by the continued movement of the gripping rolls 63. Meanwhile, the resilient folding blade 66 has encountered the stop roller 67 and been bent into an arcuate form as shown, forming a cam which depresses the central portion of the towel into the shape shown, and a moment later this blade 66 is released by the roller 67, and presses this central portion of the towel downward between the folding rollers 18 which engage the towel and draw it between themselves, and permit the folding blade 66 to escape and remain in its circuit with the sprocket 61. The stop rolls (it rest on the topmost sheet of the stack, and maintain the position of this topmost sheet.

In each form of construction, it will be seen that means are provided to engage the topmost sheet of a pile at one margin, and

adjacent the two lateral edges thereof, gripping the sheet and carrying it along while rolling it, thus predetermining the fold to be accomplished upon the sheet with a final crushing down of the tube thus formed so that both the lengthwise and the cross folds will be completed at the same time by the rollers 18.

In particular, it will be noted that the device will fold the various articles to a fixed width, regardless of the size of the sheet, and in particular that the width of the fold produced is one-half of the circun'iference of the rollers 19 selected.

It is obvious that the invention may be employed in other ways and for other articles, and that the details of assemblage thereof may be modified in many ways, without dearting from the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed. as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is 1. A machine for folding sheets comprisin g means to present a sheet, means to engage the sheet and form it into a tube by rolling it upon itself, said means including rollers having a circumference equal to two-thirds the width of the sheet whereby the sheet is rolled into a tube having one layer for half the circumference thereof and two layers for the other half of the circumference thereof, and a device to crush the tube so formed.

2. A machine as in claim 1, in which are provided a traveling support for the rollers whereby they are caused to move over th sheet while engaging and rolling the same, means to move the support whereby to traverse the rollers over the sheet, and means to present the sheet when rolled into a tube upon the rollers beneath the crushing device in such position that the outer edge of the sheet is located at the edge of the crushed tube after crushing.

A machine for folding sheets comprising means to receive a stack of sheets, a pair of rock arms opposite the edges of the stack of sheets, rollers carried at the free ends of the rock arms and adapted to rest on the corresponding edges of the sheet and be rotated by traveling thereupon, means to rock said arms, means on the rollers to grip the sheet and form it into a tube during such rocking and travelin and means to remove the tube thus formed f om said rollers.

4. A machine as in claim 3, in which the tube removing means comprisesa reciprocable folder blade adapted to engage the tube intermediate its length and push it in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said arms.

5. A machine as in claim 3, in which the tube removing means comprises a folder blade adapted to engage the tube at an intermediate point of its length, lever arms fixed to a. common pivot and connected on the one hand to said roller arms and on the other hand to said folder blade, the rocking means for the roller arms operating to move the rollers relatively upward, andby the action of said lever arms serving to move-said folder blade relatively downward.

6. A machine as in claim 3, in which the rollers are provided with suction gripping members, and means controlled by the means for rocking the roller arms to connect a source of reduced pressure with said suction gripping members at the time said rollers are to engage the sheet.

l. A machine as in claim 3, in which cooperating folding. rolls are provided and mounted with their axes at right angles to the axis of the tube thus formed, said tube removing means serving to force the intermediate point of the tube between said folding rolls.

8. A machine for folding sheets comprising means to present a sheet, a main shaft, a pair of rock arms, lever arms to support the rock arms, means on the main shaft to more said rock arms and lever arms, rollers carried at the free ends of said rock arms and including means to grip the sheet from said presenting means and form it into a tube, folder means to crush the tube thus formed, and. means connected with said lever arms and said folder means to operate the latter from said main shaft.

9. In a machine as in claim 8, cooperating folding rolls mounted on axes substantially parallel to the planes of movement of said rock arms, said folding means comprising a blade to crush the tube and force it between said folding rolls.

10. A machine for folding sheets compris ing means to present a sheet, a fold-determining roller disks to engage and grip the sheet at its edges, means to operate said roller disks so that the sheet is formed into a tube about the same, parallel cooperating fold producing rolls mounted on axes at right angles to the axis of the tube, and means to crush the tube at a line intermediate its length and extending parallel to the said rolls and to force such line between the rolls to complete the longitudinal and cross-folding of the sheet.

11. A machine for folding sheets comprising a means to present a sheet, fold determining devices to receive the sheet and form it into a tube, means to crush the tube intermediate its length, fold rollers to receive the tube at the line of crushing and complete the folding thereof, a device to receive the folded sheet, and means operated With the tube crushing means to move said device during the folding.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

WALDEMAR F. MAYER. 

